Sprouts spring from newly germinated peas and beans.
They won't add much in the way of nutrients--or calories--to your diet,
but they're tasty and inexpensive. There are many varieties,
ranging from mild
and crunchy mung bean sprouts to spicy and delicate radish
sprouts. Raw sprouts are great in salads and sandwiches, and
the sturdier varieties can also be stir-fried briefly.

Substitutes: lettuce OR carrots (grated)
OR green onions (minced)

Varieties:

alfalfa sprouts Notes:
These are too wispy to cook, but they're great raw in salads and
sandwiches. Substitutes: sunflower sprouts OR
mung bean sprouts (thicker shoots, crunchier, less sweet) OR soybean
sprouts (more of a bean flavor) OR fenugreek sprouts (more bitter)

mung bean sprouts = bean sprouts Notes:
These are the large sprouts that are common in supermarkets. They're crisp
and nutty, and they're the best sprouts for stir-frying, though they can
also be served raw. Select bean sprouts that are crisp and white with just a tinge of yellow.
To keep them fresh, rinse them off and immerse them in cold water, then store them in the
refrigerator. They're very perishable, so try to use them within a day or two. Canned bean
sprouts are a very poor substitute for fresh. Substitutes:
snow peas (sturdy enough to cook) OR
sunflower sprouts (sturdy enough to cook) OR soybean
sprouts (bigger, bean-like flavor)

soybean sprouts Notes: These sturdy,
crunchy sprouts are good in salads or stir-fries. They become
bitter when the tails get too long, so eat them soon after they
sprout. Substitutes: mung bean sprouts
(smaller, less bean-like flavor)